Think ahead about the festive season: 22 stocks whose fortunes are shaped by the festive season; what they say impacts the market

India’s consumption year has two currents: The festive-season (Ganesh Chaturthi to Diwali, typically September–November) and the monsoon (June–September) that shapes rural cash flows and sentiment. For investors, the best opportunities emerge when these currents reinforce each other. Now, the monsoon has been largely normal. Will this result in a better festive season? For all those who have forgotten about the importance of the festive season, just a reminder: In September 2024, the correction in the market started when a senior executive of a two-wheeler company said that festive season sales may not pan out as expected. It was enough for the street to realise the economy might be moving into a cyclical slowdown. The rest is history.